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New Product Announcement: IN4000PE Flexible Neck Ionizing Nozzle

May 20, 2014

Transforming Technologies is proud to announce the addition of the IN4000PE Flexible Neck Ionizing Nozzle to our line of ESD Products.

Ptecâ„¢ Hands Free IonizationIN4000PE ionizing nozzle
The IN4000PE flexible nozzle neck frees the operator’s hands during assembly and manufacturing processes. A photoelectric eye controls both ionization and airflow, which reduces compressed air costs and extends the life  of the ionizer. The model IN4000PE ionizing air nozzle produces a 68KHz AC output of approximately 2200V and a continuous stream of balanced air ions.

Maintenance Savings
Ptecâ„¢ ionizers save time and money because they require no calibration. Emitter life is increased and maintenance frequency is reduced, due to
68KHz AC ion emission.
Ptecâ„¢ Ionization
The IN4000PE features the inherently stable output of all Ptecâ„¢ Ionizers and high frequency AC (68KHz) ion emis-sion. The flexible metal neck, with multiple nozzle options allows for easy operation and service of emitters. A photoelectric eye and .01 micron filter combine to deliver clean air at the correct pressure when needed.

For price and availability on the IN4000PE Flexible Neck Ionizing Nozzle or for information on any products in Transforming Technologies full line of ESD products, please call 419-841-9552 or email info@transforming-technologies.com.
 

New Product Announcement: IN3425PE Hands Free AC Ionizing Nozzle with Photoelectric Eye

May 9, 2014

Transforming Technologies is proud to announce the addition of the IN3425PE Hands Free AC Ionizing Nozzle with Photoelectric Eye to our line of ESD Products.

The IN3425PE is a very stable, pin-point accurate ionizer with a photoelectric eye that controls power and air flow.

The IN3425PE is a very stable, pin-point accurate ionizer with a photoelectric eye that controls power and air flow.

The Model IN3425PE 68KHz AC ionizing air nozzle is a point-of-use solution for a wide range of static problems. A proximity sensing photoelectric eye controls the power and air flow for easy hands free ionization. The IN3425PE easily connects to a com-pressed air source and offers various output nozzles for specialized applications.

Using AC corona technology to make the air more conductive, Ptecâ„¢ ionizers pro-duce a balanced stream of positive and negative air ions that never need calibration. The main unit of the device is equipped with a small HV power unit so no external HV power unit or HV wiring is needed. The IN3425PE is light, small and free from EMI. It is equipped with an auto ion bal-ance and abnormal HV monitoring systems. These devices are used in many industries and manufacturing applications where static electricity is a problem.

Maintenance Savings
Ptecâ„¢ ionizers save time and money because they require no calibration. Emitter life is increased and maintenance fre-quency is reduced, due to 68KHz AC ion emission.

For price and availability on the IN3425PE Hands Free AC Ionizing Nozzle with Photoelectric Eye or for information on any products in Transforming Technologies full line of ESD products, please call 419-841-9552 or email info@transforming-technologies.com.
 

Generating Air Ionization With No Contaminating Particles

May 6, 2014

Abstract

High Technology manufacturing employs air ionizers to reduce the effects of static charge. In cleanrooms the dominant issue is contamination reduction by eliminating electrostatic attraction. Conventionally, air ionization is generated by corona from needle electrodes, but there are particles generated by this process and removing the debris collected on the needle electrodes represents a significant maintenance issue. In the past, particles generated by ionizers have been too small to affect the manufacturing process, but this is no longer true. The latest small structures on the wafer have reached the limit where these particles will harm the product. This paper discusses the mechanism for particle creation and presents a design which creates no particles. The maintenance issue has lead to the use of complex ionizers that employ a sheath of air to shield the corona electrodes from the air in the cleanroom and the associated airborne molecular contaminants (AMCs). The new technology which eliminates particle generation also eliminates the need to clean the ionizers and reduces or eliminates the amount of air required to operate the ionizer.

For the full text click here.

 

How to Install an ESD Workstation

April 21, 2014

How to install an ESD Workstation:mt4500b-mat-kit

  1. Lay the table mat flat on the workbench with the snaps toward the operator. (Tip: Mild heat (sun light) will remove creases caused by shipping.)
  2. Connect the common point ground cord to the table mat by snapping it to the left or right snap.CP2500
  3. Connect the coil cord to the common point ground cord by plugging the banana plug into one of the ground cord’s banana jacks.
  4. Snap the wrist band to the coil cord. (Tip: make sure that the operator wears the wrist band on bare skin and tightens the band so that no gap exists between the skin and the band.
  5. Lay the floor mat on the floor in front of the workbench with the snaps toward the bench.
  6. Connect the floor mat ground cord to one snap on the floor mat.WB4037
  7. Connect the common point ground cord and floor mat ground cord to ground. Use the green wire building ground point as specified in EOS/ESD Standard 6. Connection to this ground point is most easily accomplished by removing the center AC outlet plate cover screw, placing the screw through the eyelets from both ground cords, and replacing the screw. The wires can be moved to the left and right sides of the screw so that they do not obstruct the outlet.
  8. comfort-dome-esd-mat-ground-cordHeel Grounders: Open the velcro strap. Place foot back into shoe and slip rubber cup onto the heel of the shoe. Insert tab into shoe and trim excess tab material with scissors if necessary.  Close velcro strap. Repeat procedure for other shoe.

Newly installed workstations should be tested for continuity. A surface resistivity meter with a “resistance to ground” function can be used to test continuity from the ground point to all parts of the workstation.

 

New Product Announcement: Comfort Dome ESD Anti-Fatigue Mat

March 19, 2014

Transforming Technologies is proud to announce the addition of the Comfort Dome ESD Anti-Fatigue Mat to our line of ESD Products.

The Comfort Dome ESD Anti-fatigue matting is offers unmatched operator comfort.

The Comfort Dome ESD Anti-fatigue matting is offers unmatched operator comfort.

Transforming Technologies Comfort Dome ESD Anti-Fatigue is a 100% rubber molded mat that provides unparalleled comfort in areas where static control is a concern. Evenly spaced domes on the surface of the mat provides superior anti-fatigue relief and slip resistance. These mats are available in single work-area mats sized 2’x3′ and 3’x4′ or in 3’x4′ interlocking sections for long assembly lines.

The Comfort Dome ESD Anti-Fatigue Mat meets or exceeds requirements of ANSI ESD-S20.20 and the recommendations of ESD 4.1.

For price and availability on the Comfort Dome series mats or for information on any products in Transforming Technologies full line of ESD products, please call 419-841-9552 or email info@transforming-technologies.com.

 

New Product Announcement: CC2695P Series Dual Wire Coil Cord with Parking Jack

February 3, 2014

Transforming Technologies is proud to announce the addition of the CC2695P Series Dual Wire Coil Cord with Parking Jack to our line of ESD Products.CC2695P Coil Cord with Parking Jack

The CC2695-P’s polyurethane coil insulation and strain relief molding offers excellent coil memory and endurance. The molded snap head provides a convenient parking jack for the cord with not in use. Two female snaps, a 3.5mm phono plug and 1 meg resister are standard. Dual blue and black 4 mm sockets help maintain a constant connection and dual wire wrist straps provide redundancy. When used with resistive loop (dual wire) monitors, the CC2695P wrist strap sets continuously verify resistance to ground. Available in 5′, 10′, and 20′ feet lengths.

For price and availability on the CC2695-P series coil cords or for information on any products in Transforming Technologies full line of ESD products, please call 419-841-9552 or email info@transforming-technologies.com.

 

Resistance Measurement Meter for Conveyor Belt

January 30, 2014

ESD-Q&A

This week’s ESD Q&A question comes from StaticCare reader Tim, he asks:

Question: What type of instrument should I use to measure the resistance on our conveyor belt?

Answer:

Conveyor Belt

Hello Tim,

Thank you for taking the time to submit your question to Transforming Technologies.

You will want to use a surface resistance meter with a 2.27 Kg (5lb) electrode, such as the SRM500K, for the measurement. For a flat belt conveyor, you can put the electrode on the conveyor belt and measure the resistance to equipment ground. For an edge belt conveyor, place a metal plate on the conveyor and measure the resistance from the plate to equipment ground. You may want to isolate one side of the plate from the belt to make sure that each belt is grounded.

Transforming Technologies will answer questions concerning all things ESD: static causes, threats,  ESD prevention, best practices and all things static in a feature we call ESD Q&A.  If you have ESD questions that you would like to be answered, email info@transforming-technologies.com  with Q&A in the subject line.

 

Auditing an ESD Worksurface

January 16, 2014

 

ESD-Q&A

 

This week’s ESD Q&A question comes from StaticCare reader Paul, he asks:

Question: What measurement or measurements do I need to make when auditing an ESD worksurface?

Answer:

Hello Paul,

Thank you for taking the time to submit your question to Transforming Technologies.

There are three primary measurements for evaluating a work surface; Resistance Point to Point (RTT – also known as Resistance Top to Top), Resistance to Groundable Point (RTGP) and Resistance to Ground (RTG).

Figure 1 – Resistance To Ground (RTG)

Resistance to Ground Measurement

For general auditing purposes, the primary measurement is RTG. This measurement is made using a 5 lb electrode connected to the positive terminal of the resistance meter. The electrode is placed on the work surface in the most heavily used area. The negative lead is connected to electrical ground. This measurement assures that the mat is connected to AC Equipment Ground. ESD standard procedure says to test at 10 volts, and if the measurement exceeds 1.0 x 106 ohms, switch to 100 volts. If you are certain that your worksurface material has a resistance greater than 1.0 x 106 ohms, you may want to start at 100 volts to save time.

A simple and safe way to connect to AC Ground is by using a grounding plug, such as the Transforming Technologies AD22. The AD22 assures a solid connection to the third wire ground of an AC outlet, while insulating the plug from the hot and neutral wires. Always check electrical outlets for proper wiring before using grounding plugs.

If the resulting RTG measurement is within your required limits, no further work surface testing is required and you can proceed to the next work surface. Should the RTG measurement exceed your limits, clean the work surface with an approved cleaning product, check all wiring connections to make sure that they are secure and re-test. Should the measurements still exceed your limits you will then want to conduct a Resistance to Groundable Point (RTGP) measurement.

Figure 2 – Resistance Point To Groundable Point (RTGP)

Resistance to Groundable Point Measurement

This measurement is similar to the RTG measurement except that the negative lead is attached to the grounding point (snap) of the work surface. The testing is performed using 100 volts when the expected resistance is greater than 1.0 x 106 ohms.

Should this measurement provide a reading that is within your requirements the problem is somewhere between the snap and AC Ground. Typically, either the ground wire became disconnected or it is faulty. Check and verify all wiring between the work surface and the AC equipment ground.

If this measurement also provides a value that exceeds your requirements, then there may be a problem with the work surface. A point-to-point resistance measurement can be done to verify the performance of the work surface material.

Figure 3 – Resistance Point To Point (RTT)

RTT – Resistance Point-to-Point

This measurement is made using two 5 lb electrodes. The electrodes are placed 10” apart on the work surface in various locations. Figure 3 is an example of a point-to-point test.

The testing is performed using 100 volts when the expected resistance is greater than 1.0 x 106 ohms.

If the reading meets your requirements, there is possibly a connection problem with the groundable point. Should the reading exceed your limits the work surface is likely faulty and should be replaced.

It is important that RTG measurements be made regularly. The frequency of testing is dependent up on internal requirements and testing history. RTG testing must be performed even if constant monitoring is in place, as constant monitors verify ground connection of the worksurface, but not the performance of the worksuface.

 

The Cause for ESD Wastebaskets

December 4, 2013

ESD-Q&A

This week’s ESD Q&A question:

Question: Is there really a need for an ESD wastebasket?

Answer:

It is fair to wonder why there is a need for ESD wastebaskets. If the waste basket resides underneath a workstation and stays there permanently, it is extremely unlikely that a wastebasket could present a danger to ESD sensitive devices, regardless of the field voltage that may exist on the basket.

However, there are a number of circumstances  when the wastebasket could present a significant hazard to electronic products. The following are just a few examples of potentially risky scenarios:

Work surface cleaning:   The operator lifts the wastebasket to the edge of the work station to collect the debris being removed. Should product be present on the work surface and not contained in a shielding container, there is a good opportunity for exposure to electrostatic fields that exceed safe limits.

Lead trimming/board cleaning operations:   When trimming component leads or using aerosol cleaners on PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards), some operators will hold the PCB over the wastebasket to catch the clippings or solvent run-off. Many times the PCB will be placed well into the waste container to assure catching the unwanted materials. This operation puts PCBs and ESD sensitive devices very close to potentially significant electrostatic fields.

Aisle proximity:  Some wastebaskets have been observed in close proximity to production floor aisles where product transfer carts pass or may be parked. ANSI/ESD S2020 requires items that generate 2000 volts or more (measured at 1” from the item) be kept at least 12” from ESD sensitive devices. Using ESD wastebaskets eliminates the risk of carts being parked next to static generating baskets.

Taking out the trash:  The simple action of removing trash from the ESD sensitive area could generate a dangerous amount of static. Static is caused by movement, specifically friction. So moving the trash cans to empty them or removing the plastic trash bags from the can generates voltage and they could come in close proximity to sensitive components on the way out of the area.

While company ESD policies may prohibit some of the actions mentioned above, it does not mean that they will not occur from time to time. ESD wastebaskets provided assurance that the wastebasket will never be an ESD threat to your product.

What Do ESD Standards Say?

The ANSI/ESD S20.20 standard says to remove all insulators from the ESD protected Area (EPA). There is nothing specifically mentioned in the standard about Trash Cans or Waste Baskets. But most trash cans as well as trash bags are plastic, which is an insulators that can generate significant charges. It is better to be safe than sorry when is comes to static damage which is why we developed ESD-Safe Trash Cans and Waste Baskets.

Transforming Technologies offers three ESD wastebaskets in static dissipative polypropylene :

  • WBAS28 – 7 Gallon ESD Waste Basket
  • WBAS90 – 22 Gallon ESD Trash Can
  • WBAS180 – 44 Gallon ESD Trash Can

We also supply a stainless steel ESD waste basket for clean room operations:

  • WBAS28MET – 7 Gallon Conductive Cleanroom Waste Basket

If a liner is to be used for easier maintenance, Transforming Technologies offers them in both conductive and static dissipative.

WBAS28 ESD Wastebasket

WBAS 28

  • Volume: 28 Quart (7 gallon)
  • Height: 15″, Opening: 10.5″ X 14.75″
  • Carbon Loaded
 

New Product Announcement: HG9000 Series Non-Marking D-Ring/Elastic Sole Grounder

October 10, 2013

Transforming Technologies is proud to announce the addition of the HG9000 Series ESD Non-Marking D-Ring/Elastic Sole Grounders to our line of ESD Products.

HG9000-sole-grounder-series

Sole Grounders, or Foot Grounders, cover more of the shoe which allows more contact to the ESD floor during the process of a step.

The HG9000 series non-marking D-ring/elastic sole grounder provides a more complete path to ground than regular heel or toe grounders due to a wider and more consistent contact area. The HG9000 series will not mar shoes or floors – reducing maintenance costs of touching up on floors. Available in XS, S, M and L sizes.

ESD Sole Grounders (or ESD Foot Grounders) have over 20 times the surface contact of standard esd heel straps. This surface area advantage extends the life of the Sole grounder over standard heel grounders which fail over time due to even the slightest contamination, necessitating replacement or cleaning, wasting time, and costing money.

These sole grounders provide rapid and complete static dissipation due to constant contact through entire walking motion. Wearing the conductive ribbon inside the shoe or sock assures proper electrical contact with the user. A rugged 1 meg ohm buried resistor is standard. Heel grounders are worn on both feet to provide consistent grounding while in motion.

 Features

  • Non-Marking
  • Buried Resistor
  • Full Sole Coverage Design

For price and availability on the HG9000 series soles grounders or for information on any products in Transforming Technologies full line of ESD products, please call 419-841-9552 or email info@transforming-technologies.com.

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